THE MIRROR Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community July/August 1997 • Issue No. 41 hat would you expect to see origins—Han Chinese, Tibetan, Win China? I expected many Mongol, Hui, Salar, Tu, and Kaz­ A Trip to China and the akh. It is also an important node on Mao suited workers everywhere and thousands of bicycles, because those the network of routes, most particu­ are the images which were in my Dedication of the School larly the one leading into Tibet. mind of China, apparently not Close outside the town is the updated for many years. In fact, Monastery of Kumbum (called China is a country in rapid transi­ by Lauri Marder Ta'er Si by the Chinese), a fabulous­ tion, full of style-concious , hard­ ly well-endowed temple complex, working, fit people not so different and one unique in its historical ori­ from any Western country. I only gins as the flagship of all Gelugpa saw a few Mao suits, and three of monasteries, the birthplace of those were on some elderly pil­ Tsongkapa. A large group of us vis­ grims, prostrating in front of a stupa. ited this together with Rinpoche. The bicycle seems to be holding its and were given a very nice tour, and own, even in fairly heavy traffic. bought many souvenirs in the gift Several Dzogchen community shop before making our way to the members visited China this summer busses again. from America. France, Germany, From this point on. the trip took Italy, Russia. Switzerland, Finland on a somewhat enchanted quality. and Spain, meeting in Beijing in the Travelling always upwards, into the aii-port. If it were not for diligent green pastured mountains, then into efforts of communication from deserts with vast rock formations some people who did not even heaving themselves up out of the come, we would not have been able ground, and on into oasis-like vil­ to find each other in the vastness of lages in the middle of the arid val­ leys between tall mountains, with Beijing, with few signs in Western small resort area a few hours' drive spend our time before the inaugura­ whose frantic signaling in each case few large towns, the life of the city characters (with the exception of the away, called Panshan, which attracts tion of the school in Dangche. only briefly preceded an explosion became a memory, and we began to marquees of 17 MacDonalds and a tourists who enjoy its peaceful The overall quiet of Panshan was and the succeeding clouds of smoke wonder about what lay ahead. few Pizza Huts) to guide us. atmosphere, and ample facilities for interrupted frequently by distant and hurtling rocks and chips. By the time most of us arrived. conferences and recreation. There is blasts of dynamite, especially at The vast country of China has so In the city of Guide, as well as on Choegyal Namkhai Norbu had also a temple with a congregation of night. This is a consistent aspect of many different sides: its moderniza­ some stops along the road, officials already given talks at the Institute of Chinese Buddhists, whose practice Chinese modernization, the blasting tion: its natural diversity and beauty: continued on page 6 Minorities, the Chinese Academy of seems simple and earnest. Those away of tons and tons of rock, pre­ its sometimes obscured or obliterat­ Science.and the Institute of Natural who adjourned to this refuge with sumably for road construction and ed past and many things which one CONTENTS History, and was ready to move on Rinpoche found time to climb building materials. During this trip cannot see. aspects of culture which Dzogchen Longde. Tantra of Space to the countryside for a rest. The site mountains, eat a lot of fruit, look to China we were halted on the road do not advertise themselves, but Chögyal Namkhai Norbu 2 for this "retreat" from the city was a around, and plan how we would on a few occasions by flagmen. which are at the heart of Chinese life. We could only see anyway, Press Conference with His Holiness the Dalai Lama 3 what we had the vision to see. Some of us went to Wu Tai Shan, Continuing Your Meditation Palden Ling a seven-hour train ride from Beijing. Sex Rinpoche 4 This town, centered in a verdant val­ Lives of the Great Masters The Polish Community ley surrounded by high hills each Manjushrimitra nly a few days after dred thousand lives. with its own hermitages and tem­ Alexis Merrill 5 the April retreat of Anyone wishing to O Buys Land ples, has had an almost two- thou­ Book Reviews 5 Yantra Yoga with contact the Polish sand year history as a center of pil­ Thirty Pieces of Advice Laura Evangelisti Community can grimage for Buddhists. It has special from the Heart and The Dance of write to the address connections to Vimalamitra and Gyalwa Longchenpa 6 the Six Spaces with below. Manjusri. and Nyagla Pema The Return of the White Adriana dal Borgo, We want to Dundul. and there are several tem­ Buffalo Calf Woman the Polish thank all whose ples of Tibetan Buddhist worship. Man Elizabeth Thunder 7 Community happi­ financial support Chinese, and Mongolian. It is also a A Preliminar,' Archaeological ly purchased a accelerated the ful­ place where pilgrims from Amdo Survey of gNam mtsho and house and almost fillment of our gather, in the colorful clothing of dang ra g.yu mtsho nine hectares of wishes and efforts that region, in such strong contrast John Bellezza S land. For a couple to establish a to the conservative modem dress of The Rime Tradition of years our Dzogchen center in the Han Chinese. The bustling town, Giuseppe Baroetto 9 attempts at buying a Poland. Special full of coal smoke and noise, is a house remained thanks to the Ger­ hub in a big wheel of sacred spots, Indisputable Truth Seminars 97 Interview with Cholcyi Nyima 10 H nsuccessful. man Community, and several people of our group Finally the dream the Tsegyalgar gak- expressed a wish to someday return Community News 11-12 came true. Our cen­ Polish Community Land yil, Naomi. Jim. here to wander to the more isolated Editorials 13 ter, named Palden and Joe from caves and retreats. Shang Shung Editions 15 Ling by Rinpoche. is on the hillside all qualities we lack in the cities: Tsegyalgar. those who participated On our return to Beijing, we vis­ above the village Lysa Gora, 150 clear sky above, open space around, in auction in Merigar. among them Windhorse 16 ited Tian'anmen Square and did km south-east of Crakow in a beau­ calm and quiet, and rich vegetation. Mario Maglietti and Costantino some shopping, but our hours of Relatively Speaking 17 tiful mountainous landscape. The Natural forests of the nearby Albini. We also thank all who cele­ arrival and departure did not allow by Cheli Goh two-story house made of bricks has Magura National Park shelter ani­ brated this marvelous event by send­ any stops at the Forbidden City, Sweeping the Yard 20 live rooms, kitchen and bathroom. mals rare in Europe such as bears, ing good words and gifts. appropriately enough. John Shane There is power, water, and heating eagles, wolves, and lynx. This Polisti Dzogchen Community but all facilities and the building The city of Xining. in the west of region has also very tragic history. P.O. Box 331 30-950 SPECIAL FEATURE: need extensive renovations because China, is referred to in the "Rough The 20th century brought much suf­ Crakow 61 Poland or e-mail to: Guide lo China" in alarming tenus. Continuing Your it has been unattended for a few fering to people living in the area. It wachniew @ ftj. agh.edu.pl This, the capitol of the province of years. We are doing our best to is dotted with the cemeteries of both Meditation make Palden Ling a convenient Quinghai, (Amdo) is indeed sur­ World Wars. One of the most tragic by \cn. Ngawang Gclck See Community News Section for rounded by factories and full of place of teachings and practice. The episodes of the World War II took Namgyal (Scy Rinpoche) more news from Poland aiul smoke and noise, but it is a lively place is really breathtaking. It has place there taking almost one hun­ around the world. place, full of people of many ethnic PAGE 4 he Dzogchen Teaching was called gomrim, and there is one Dorje gave direct introduction for to change, for example. Many peo­ originally taught by Guru book of gomrim written by the student to have experiences of ple when they are following teach­ T Padmasambhava when it Vimalamitra. Vimalamitra is not that knowledge; experiences one by ings they say, "Oh, I am student of started in Tibet. Guru Padma- really a gradual teacher but a one. The most diffused experience is Sakyapa, or Gelugpa", or consider sambhava's main teacher was Sri Dzogchen teacher, but he was not emptiness, because that is taught themselves a student of someone. Singha. Guru Padmasambhava able to communicate Dzogchen and introduced in Sutra teachings Then when people follow the received mainly Dzogchen directly because there were so many and also practiced as shine or calm Dzogchen teachings they think, Upadesha teachings from Sri confusions in that period. Sutra and state. Why? Because we are very "Oh, I must change, I must become Singha. Historically, Guru Padma­ Tantra teachings were more preva­ confused, agitated and charged. a student of Dzogchen, I am sambhava had eight manifestations. lent and they were not accepting the That is our nature.